Scarlett ill
by Hermiaxx
Summary: What if Scarlett was found ill two years after Rhett left her? Will she tell Rhett- and if so, will he care? A heartbreaking romance- a must read. This fanfic does not include Wade and Ella (although I adore them!)...
1. The Discovery

_Hey guys! this is my first gwtw fanfiction. So, please support me with your reviews! I will answer back to every one of them- and it really does make my day:)_

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"I don't understand… I" her trembling voice struggled to proceed.

Doctor Meade gave the former southern belle a sympathetic gaze as he repeated his diagnosis "I regret this situation as much as you Scarlett, but I cannot trace the source of your illness, and if the symptoms develops as fast as it has been doing for the last month, then I am afraid you do not stand a great chance to live." "It does however appear to be not infectious, judging by the fact that none of your household staff share your symptoms, I will write to my friend Dr. Croft who is an expert with unknown diseases, but I doubt there will be anything to change the situation."

"How long do I have left?" She asked.

"I really can't tell, because as I said, I don't know the identity of your problems, however judging on the amount of blood you have been coughing up and the frequentness of your migraines, 3 months, maybe 6" the old doctor warily replied, nervously wringing his hands as he was sure the fiery lady would not take the news very well.

To his surprise, Scarlett simply nodded brusquely bidding goodbye and left the room.

She absentmindedly walked back to the monstrosity of a house she called home. The deafening silence that had haunted her for the last year greeted her back. The giggles that once filled the house by a certain blue-eyed girl were no more, Rhett had left two years ago after his love for her had finally run out; and Mammy, her determined shouting too had left her life a year ago when she was laid to rest in the red dust of Tara.

As she reached her vanity in her bedroom, she looked at her reflection. She was strangely amused by her lack of desperation for life in her eyes. The Scarlett she knew was capable of fighting against the world for her life. She had managed to save Tara and her life all those years ago, despite the painful losses of almost all those she held dear, she succeeded to provide for herself as well as the burden of the many people who relied on her.

She did not want to die, however looking at her empty exhausted eyes; she could not think that death would change her situation very much.

She thought back to her glamorous life as a southern belle, the sheer joy she underwent preparing for barbecues and balls, where she would revel in the men's praising eyes and the jealous scorns of the women. She let herself wander in the memories of Rhett, the way he would understand her like no one else, the way he made her heart beat frantically every time he kissed her, she berated herself once more for not identifying the love of her life sooner.

"Dear God," she thought, she was starting to start like an old maid!

Her passion for life might have died, but it seemed that her pride in her attractiveness had not.

She was surprised to see the tiniest trace of life that was brought to her face as she thought of Rhett. Then she realized, she would probably never see him again.

These past two years he left her, she had vainly lied to herself that he would return, writing to him and even planning to visit him in Charleston to speed the process of his return up, but then Mammy died, distracting Scarlett on her mission. The only response she received from her estranged husband was a letter urging her for a divorce.

Scarlett was scared to die, however she was mortified at the thought that she would never look into those dark coal eyes, or hear that laugh that always made her laugh too.

Then, like a light bulb, she was struck with the most amazing idea, she would write to him.

Picking her pen up, she hastily wrote

_My dearest Rhett,_

She sounded too desperate. 'After all' she sadly amused, this was probably her last letter to the man, and it had to be perfect.

Not able to pick a good enough intro, she settled for simply

_Rhett,_

_Please come back. No, this is not one of my 'ploys' as you call them. On the contrary, I want us to talk through the divorce. Please write back to tell me whether you are coming or not, and if so when._

_Scarlett._

Not wanting to be begging for crumbs of his sympathy, she avoided mentioning her health. She was not quite sure what compelled her to want to see him, maybe… she just wanted to be able to say good bye to the only true love of her life, regardless to whether the love was reciprocated or not. Dying wasn't too bad after all; because for once she could do as she truly willed for once without the hindrance of her pride.

It would take about two weeks for letters to arrive and come back from Charleston, realizing she did not have much time, she added

_If you are coming, please try to come as soon as possible._

Of course, she was not really planning to grant him a divorce; she wanted to die as his wife. She would just have to hold on until… it's too late – you can't divorce someone who is dead. . .

She was attacked once again by another wave of coughs, frantically reaching for her handkerchief; she winced at the sight of blood.

She distracted herself by looking at the mirror once more, her face still possessed a fashionable pearl porcelain complexion, her eyes, although not sparkling, held a mysterious charm that captivated many men. She had lost much weight since Rhett's departure but it only served to accentuate the curves she still claimed.

Scarlett did not want her last image to be some sick old hag; she would conceal her weak health, and appear as beautiful as she possibly could for Rhett to remember.

'if he does at all.' She thought

She sentimentally walked in to her dressing room. Rhett had insisted on its existence as if she needed further encouragement to be spoiled. The room was a physical reminder of how Rhett silently proclaimed his love for her. The endless trails of dresses and the sparkling jewels. Back then, she loved them for their price and luxury, it was a reminder of her newly found wealth she constantly bragged on about. However, now she read the care of Rhett, most of the dresses were personally commissioned by Rhett, if not designed by him too. She only realized she was crying when a drop of tear fell on the dress that she was holding on to.

Once again, she was surpassed with an alarming dizziness and retired to bed.

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I've already written the next chapter- I'll upload it as soon as I get a review. Thank you for reading my story and I will really appreciate it if you could find time to follow+favorite! I will upload at least 1-2 time a week!

'Till next time

Hermiaxx


	2. The Receiver

As I promised, I got 4 followers and 1 review! Which meant I could post the next chapter as I promised! 

Disclaimer- For all the chapters before this one and afterwards, it is based on the novel Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

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Rhett read the letter with furrowed brows. It was not like the other love proclamations that he had received from her over the last two years. This letter was not as transparent as her numerous past letters had been. He could always see right through her past letters, as he always could when it came to her, he did not even need to see her face to read her like an open book.

He tried to avoid reading her love letters, but he found them oddly entertaining, and as his feelings for her had thank god died, he concluded that there were no reasons as to why he should not read her letters.

She had not wrote to him for the last month or so, however, and he prided himself once again that he was not deeply disappointed, - he had finally gotten rid of the poison of his blood.

His life during the past two years was a… respectable one. It did not have the thrill and the exhilaration, however at 45, he was too old for that sort of life anyway.

He courted many charming Charleston ladies at day, and bedded many nameless whores at night. He attended and donated to enough events to rebuild his reputation, his life was almost finally at peace.

However, looking at his old love's latest letter, a strange feeling was evoked within him, it was a sort of unsettling feeling that he did not experience for… well, a while.

The once infamous Rhett Butler sat down at his desk, discarding his letter, at least physically, to one side. He tried to focus on his work; the effort however was proven to be unfruitful. Giving up his plan to work, he reached the slightly more comfortable armchair pondering in the years gone by. He had distracted himself from the past for the last two years, he could not risk for the past to drag his hear until he couldn't do anything but look back. So, he instead concentrated all his energy in the utterly peaceful future, however, and that future never seemed to come. True, he knew he was nearer to the tranquil life he aspired to have, however, no matter how much he felt close to that serenity, it had simply never arrived.

Of course, he was never the type of man who clung on the memories off the past not the type of man who fed off the prospect of what the future would bring. But the present was just too… dull. But was that not what he had hoped for?

Sighing, he reached for the problematic sheet once more. He was so close in his scavenge for peace, until this letter utterly disturbed the unstable peace in his life so why, why now?

He was not that keen on getting the divorce- although he would have definitely preferred to be formally detached from the past. He knew that he was never going to tie himself to the bounds of matrimony again, and quite frankly, he only pressed for those divorce so that he could tell that …woman to know his feelings for her. He was not as elated at her acceptance of divorce as he thought he would be, "no, I only know that I love you," he bitter sweetly smirked in remember this remark. She had lied again. Her obsession over him, once she was bored of her old obsession named Ashley had finally faded away. He was forced to admit that he was a little disappointed as her love letters were entertaining, and her obsession over him had certainly not lasted as long as the wooden-headed Mr. Wilkes.

But then he read the scribbled phrase _If you are coming, please try to come as soon as possible, _for once he was not sure what his soon-to-be-ex-wife intended in writing this comment. Why would she be that keen on seeing him, and fast too when she wanted a divorce?

He was getting more and more annoyed at Scarlett who refused to leave him at peace. He would go. He would visit her one last time to finalize the details of details regarding the termination of their marriage.

He rang for Bran to come up immediately.

" Pack simple necessities for 3 days or so, and do it fast"

As his servant went about the task, he wrote to his wife.

_Dear Scarlett_

It sounded too much like the correspondence he used to share with Scarlett when they were on good terms. Not wanting to give her false hope, he started again.

_Dear Mrs. O'Hara_

It did not sound right...

_Dear Mrs. Butler_

_I am glad to hear this good news; I would be arriving at the end of this week. I would be using my old room._

_Rhett Butler._

It seemed too normal for his taste, that is, it sounded like the kind of letter a husband would write to their wife after an extended trip. This was the case technically, he amused.

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I will be uploading in the next 3 days or so, it all depends on how many reviews I get!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	3. The Man from Charleston

Hey guys! I know, 3rd chapter on the 3rd day... but your hearty reviews, favorites, and follows inspired me to write more! lol... this chapter is going to be a bit sad but it would get lighter- promise!

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"Great balls of fire, I said I don't care if it would worsen my health just give me the wretched pills!" exclaimed Scarlett

"But th' doctor said dat it wud only…"

Prissy's high-pitched attempt in getting her mistress to listen to her ended up with Scarlett roughly snatching the pills away.

Scarlett knew what Dr. Meade said and frankly did not need for the advice to be re-stated. She did not care whether the pill could shorten her time to live by a fortnight or so, all she wanted to do was to make sure that Rhett did not find out about her illness during his stay. She had received Rhett's reply the day before, and somehow, it managed to send her omnipresent headache to the background as her mind was newly possessed with how to make their… last confrontation memorable for them. The pill from Dr. Croft may limit her life, but it would pause her symptoms from rising to the surface for at least three whole weeks, and this was more than enough to hide her illness from her husband's short visit.

She winced at how short his visit would be. 3 days. Three sunrise and three nights was all she was being compensated for eternity of death that was facing her not-too-distant future. In addition, she was pacing for the visit of her dreaded death by fourteen days only for three days with the man whose sole purpose for visiting was to set up a formal estrangement. But she did not care, for in fact, a fortnight of lifeless days seemed less than a worthy match to three heavenly days with her Rhett.

She was starting sound like… the time before the war, strange, she thought, she was acting as if she was growing younger although in truth, she was dying.

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Rhett waved the porter away as he collected his baggage himself. He prided himself for his strength and power; he did not need to act like an imbecile by not making use of his ability.

"Why, it couldn't be the infamous Captain Butler" a familiar metal-like voice called out to him.

Rhett turned around to face the Red haired whore. A smile stretched on the powder-covered face of Belle Watling, as she met his eyes.

"Well. You are even more handsome than I remember you to be, how long has it been, two years? Why don't you come with me on my buggy, I assume you are on your way to that…house, and you must certainly remember that my _house _is on the way to your wife's, and you wouldn't want to disappointing my girls, would you?"

Rhett hadn't visited the Watling establishment since he left Scarlett and her apparent love proclamation for him. It did not mean that he slept with any other _women_ from various establishments, it was just that he felt strangely uncomfortable re-visiting the particular Watling establishment. It was not because his soon to be ex-wife seemed hurt at the prospects and histories of his visit to the particular place that was absurd!

"I think I would appreciate that very much Ms. Watling" Rhett drawled.

However both parties failed to notice the lady in a green dress, who was watching the interaction with matching emerald eyes.

"I almost thut that cud be th't woman my ma forbids me to name, but it cudn't be, cud it Mis Scarlett? Oh yu knows wat woman I'm t'lking ab'ut don't yu?"

Scarlett turned away, not answering to her naïve maid, maintaining her straight posture.

How foolish it was of her to believe things were going to be. She really must be very ill to have hoped for such a thing, 'maybe,' she thought she really had been ill for the last two years she spent thinking that he would return to her, physically and in reciprocating her love for him. She was a fool.

She thought back to how happy she was two hours ago as she laid her head against the moving wall of the carriage. She had tried on dresses after dresses before finally settling on her green gown, not too formal, but at the same time not too casual. It brought the color of her eyes and accentuated her curves and her tiny waist. She had limited her usual preference for rouge, trying instead too pinch her cheeks to mask the unnaturally pale face her illness had brought her.

She had put her hair up in hope that he would remember how he used to kiss her long slim alabaster neck every chance he got in the early years of their marriage.

But, of course, she should have known that she could not stand a chance against the experienced courtesan. Especially when she was this sick. The reality of her weakened state stung more than ever as she realized it would have made her look even more unappealing next to the vibrant whore.

She glanced towards the direction of the establishment as she exited the carriage with a defeated expression.

She suddenly wondered what he was doing at the precise moment?

Would he be kissing the girls in the establishment as he used to kiss her? Would he take them into his arms and whisper sweet nothings like he did with her? Would he make love to them the way he used to do with her?

The vivid image left her feeling sick despite her medication and the next thing she realized, her body was racing towards the cold hard ground.

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Please leave your reviews whether it is suggestion to the plot, constructive criticisms, or anything else you want to tell me!  
Also would you want Scarlett to 1)die in Rhett's arms 2)reconcile with Rhett in healthily and have more children 3)reconcile with rhett but for a limited time because of her failing health 4) have rhett's baby and die from her health? 5) anything else?

The polls would close on my next update and even I don't know when that's going to be (although I've ALREADY started to write a new chapter...)

So review+follow+favourite as always!

Till next time

Hermiaxx


	4. The Civilized Agreement

Hey... I know 4 updates in like two days! crazy! I can't promise it would always be **this **speedy though, at least 1-2 times a week though as I promised!

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Rhett stood outside the monument of his past happiness. An unexpected wave of nostalgia swept through him, as if the dam he had built against his memories over the last two years, had been damaged, by the mere sight of the building. He could almost see the raven locks of his Bonnie flying behind her in the wind as she ran, the locks that looked just like her mothers', he admitted.

He knew that moment for certainty that he could never come back to the house again. Sure, he would visit his daughter's grave and carry on thinking of her every second of his life. She might have been…dead, but he would carry her with him in his mind all the time so that she may live on through him.

Rhett rather cautiously opened the door. The route of his travel also brought too many memories back. He remembered going to Belle's then travelling back to his house. This time round though, he was not going to let the poison that was Scarlett, creep back into his blood again.

He walked in remembering another time in the past when he had returned to her, no, to the house after a long period of time. It was nowhere near two years but it was still the longest time he had kept away from her from the day he met her. He remembered her regal stature that faced him as he came in through this very door, standing tall at the top of the stairs just before the…

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Scarlett had woken up in her bed after an hour of sleep. Prissy was going on about her heroic attributes in getting Mr. Ashley to help her carry her mistress up the stairs. Of course, she added, Ashley did not lay a finger on Scarlett as expected of a gentleman Prissy added. Instead, he had just opened the doors for her.

"I wud have g'tten C'ptin Butl'r but he wuz b'sy" she said giggling.

Oh how much Scarlett missed Mammy at that precise moment, and how she wanted to slap that girl's face again.

Prissy then went on to explain how worried Ashley looked and Scarlett was not jealous of the girl's attentions towards her childhood sweetheart, for she was a child no more. Instead, her heart was tattered at the memory of her own husband that once carried her up the very stairs, for very different reasons, and with very different feelings towards her. And this time round, it was not her that was in the arms of her beloved, it was probably one of the whores from the whorehouse or even that Watling woman herself.

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Having had enough of her maid's tales Scarlett left her room and wrapping her self in her green wrapper, she headed for the stairs to go anywhere but near her bedroom.

Then she stopped.

Ahead of her, stood the man she craved for, and desperately needed. Ahead of her stood her husband. He had not aged at all. His face was restored with its usual sun-kissed tan, his dark coal eyes as magnetic as ever, his body too remained as muscular as she remembered it to be. She could have sworn that he looked…shocked for a moment to see her. Why? She thought, did he not expect to see her in her own home?

The seemingly shocked face of his dissolved in a familiar taunting smirk.

"Well, judging by your lack of care you put into presenting yourself, you were serious about that divorce Mrs. Butler. It still is that is it not?"

"Why, you" Scarlett tried to turn away because her dizziness returned to her with her rage. She painfully remembered that the pill was not wholly to be trusted. However, she caught her foot on the edge of a carpet and stumbled.

Instantly, Rhett was beside her, holding on to her waist like a drowning man clung to the only raft of safety that existed. He only realized their intimate position when Scarlett's thin pale hand came up on to his arms that were around her waist in attempt to stand. He jerked away at once, making Scarlett lose support and falling on her back.

"That was uncalled for Rhett" Scarlett said. 'Would he be this harsh to his many lovers?' Scarlett helplessly thought.

She sound almost… hurt? But why? Surely she did not expect any kindness from him, although it was true that he himself could not understand his sudden reappearance of rudeness, he was so sure he could keep his emotions in check and peaceful. No that was not right, he did not have any emotions for her.

"I am sorry Scarlett, I guess old habit die hard" Rhett replied bitter-sweetly. The ring of her name echoed in his mouth, how long had it been since he addressed his wife?

Scarlett was filled with temporary warmth as her husband called her; it had been long since he had addressed her. No one said her name like him, it seemed that his feelings for her was irrelevant in this matter. However, Scarlett then visibly gulped at the sound of the word "die," leave his mouth. He said it so casually.

Seeing the smallest trace of smile form then hastily disappear in his wife's face, he felt a pang of guiltiness as the memory of her last fall overlapped with the present.

"I'll make it up to you, let's spend our last three days civilized. Then we can sign the papers then, get on with our lives." Rhett did not realized what he promised until he did, he did not want to do that, surely. He had just unnecessarily embarrassed himself in front of her by making her think that he had any lingering longings in their failed marriage. He added, "to make a nice ending to our marriage of course."

Then, Scarlett smiled sweetly, her dimples denying the presence of a life-threatening illness within her. Maybe making a pleasant closure to their relationship was not going to be as hard as she thought.

Rhett helped her up to her feet. Looking hesitant for a moment Rhett reluctantly broke the awkward silence by adding "And no, you have not aged my pet, despite my prophesy that I made in our honeymoon of what you would look like in some years time. You are not fat or old. I dare say Mrs. Butler, you seem to have lost even more weight. You will be surrounded by many beaus after our divorce."

"Fiddle dee dee," Scarlett replied "I already have!"

Rhett looked at her face to see that she was only teasing him. Perhaps, it would be nice to spend the last three days with Scarlett as his wife.

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I know, another not-so-happy chapter, but it will get happier!- maybe! you would have to keep reading to find out my lovely readers! Sorry-just really happy from the reviews I got- I know they are not much compared to other fanfics. But I'm really happy anyway!- I know sad right?

Oh, what Rhett did in Belle's establishments would revealed in the next or the next next (?) chapter!

Also, will you guys happy with err... intimate (?) scenes between them. It won't happen in the very next chapter, but just in advance?

Anyways, this is enough rambling from me...

Please review+favorite+follow!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	5. The First Night

Hey, thanks for the reviews! it's so nice to feel supported!

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"How would we act _civilized_?" Scarlett quizzically asked.

Rhett roared with laughter, he realized what he was doing…laughing, showing emotions; and a happy one at that too? He was too stunned with himself that he was going to stop, but before he could something unexpected happened

Scarlett's emerald eyes glittered like stars and joined him and matched her melodic giggles with his laugh.

The blissful moment was broken as quickly as it started as Rhett pulled up a straight face again. Rather embarrassed, Scarlett asked again "Oh but seriously Rhett you must tell me what you mean!"

"Well, my pet, I was saying that we could make at least a short fond memory to carry with us our of our quite frankly, disastrous marriage. But please my pet, don't confuse this to be my sudden change of heart regarding my feelings towards you. Nothing would change my mind from getting that long waited…"

"don't, don't say the word"

"Scarlett, the outcome at the end of the 3 days, that is divorce, would stay the same." Rhett added indifferent to his wife's pleas.

"I know, just don't taint the prospect of our short happiness with that ugly word, please now, you made yourself quite clear, do not mention it again."

"I won't Scarlett" Rhett met her pleading eyes with his understanding ones. He could not make out the turnout of their present relationship, the encounter was going strangely so far and it not at all as he anticipated. He expected a more cold, businesslike affair, but strangely, he was not at all disappointed.

Scarlett partially agreed, that is she agreed to his suggestion of trying to making something good out of their 'failed' marriage.

Rhett went upstairs to his old room. Again nostalgia swept through him, he had once hated this room. It was a physical reminder of how his wife turned him out of their bedroom. But now, his heart warmed at the memory of his sweet daughter who used to cuddle in his embrace to go to sleep. He swore he could smell her sweet baby aroma, her chubby cheeks that pressed with his own whenever she kissed him…

He changed and descended the stairs for supper, knowing that his wife was probably already waiting for him, how strange it was to be doing **this. **Especially since he did not actually know what he was doing. Why had he chosen to stay the full three days AND agree to have a 'civilized' time with her? This feeling of confusion was far away from the quiet peace he claimed he craved for back in Charleston.

He entered and the sight before his eyes made his heart skip a beat.

Scarlett was dozing, her head supported softly by her delicate hand. Her skin was a little paler than he remembered it to be. She was dressed in the softest shad of rosy pink, he never such modest color would suit Scarlett, but the particular dress seemed to blend perfectly with her porcelain skin and did marvels in contrasting with her raven hair. She was a perfect and somehow natural blend of innocence and passion.

Her body shifted as if in discomfort as if she could feel the scorching stare of her husband.

When she opened her eyes, those dazzling exotic set of emeralds, to match his eyes again, he felt weird. He was not meant to feel this way, it was just a side effect to reminiscing to the days gone by. He placed himself at the head of the table, still avoiding eye contact.

Scarlett was deeply embarrassed, she had chosen the attire so that she may subtly lure him, knowing that darker colors would only serve to draw him further away from her obvious motif. However it seemed wearing the softest tone of pastel did not help either.

"I'm sorry I must have been too busy today, I was out of the house for…" she paused, not wanting her husband to know that she was there to greet him at the train station. She did not want her husband to know that she saw him with… her, it would make things more awkward then it already is. Also, she did not want to be wounded yet again by his new indifference to her feelings.

Rhett shot his eyes up to match her face, had she been there? But he assumed from the nonchalant expression of her face that she was not. Whether she was at the station and observed his encounter, or even if she chose not to come to greet him, it only proved his speculation that his wife's supposed 'love' for him had died out.

The evening passed in silence, they parted their ways in the hallway to go to their respective bedrooms. Then, without a word, they retired to their beds.

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What do you guys want to happen in the next chapter? tell me what you think!

Till next time

Hermiaxx


	6. The Damned Wet Nightdress

Hey you guys, an ever so slightly longer chapter this time. Thank you to all your reviews, I've read and was touched by every single one of them. You guys are so warm and supportive- I feel like I don't deserve it! So I did the only thing I knew how to show my gratification. A new UPDATE! Also, this chapter is SLIGHTLY lighter than the past chapters. As I said, this is my first fanfiction, so please please please review with ANY thoughts you have so that I may improve my writing, which in turn, would benefit you guys as readers! I've edited this (21/12/13) and I am writing the next chapter!

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Rhett woke as the first ray of light entered his east-facing window. He stretched comfortably, that is, until he remembered where he was and why he was there. After sinking back into the world of reality, he did not hesitate to go through his mundane routine. It felt a little odd as he thought he would never be repeating his daily habits in this very location ever again.

He filled the bath with warm water and sank into it, the comfort wearing some of the tense barrier he set up for the day. Afterwards, he went about getting into his fashionable-as-always attire, his muscles getting accentuated by the activity. He suddenly remembered how close his wife was to him at that very moment, and that made him feel even more uncomfortable than the night before. What would she be doing right now? Sleeping?

Rhett had left his room so that he may comfort himself smoking in the fresh air. He was unusually tense as he past his wife's ajar bedroom door. A loud shriek from a melodramatic Prissy was all it took for him to drop his open cigar case, scattering all the cigars to the floor, and one of them mercilessly found its solace at the crack between his wife's door and the wall.

Silently cursing his un-natural clumsiness, he cautiously went to the door to retrieve the strayed item, he did not want his wife to think along the lines that he had visited her and accidentally left his trace, his wife always had the wildest imaginations.

He nearly dropped the cigar again in remembering one particular alleged 'imagination' of his wife - her love for woodenheaded Mr. Wilkes. His ego was somewhat sore from the fact that the charmless Ashley managed to fuel Scarlett's fantasy of love longer than him.

Looking up, he saw his wife. There she lay on her bed, despite the grandeur and the magnitude of the size of the bed, she was sleeping precariously at the edge of it. To be more precise, on his old side of the bed. He would have shrugged this off as nothing and walked away had he not noticed her delicate frame positioned in the most innocent way. Her magnolia skin literally glowed as the sunlight caressed the side of her face. Her thin nightgown teasingly hinted at the soft tone of her skin as the lights nosily impetrated the thin material. His wife let out a soft sigh. He too let out the breath he did not realize he was holding.

Two years. Two whole years he had somehow managed, no, been **able** to live without giving his wife much feeling. He knew what he felt was not love, so then, what was it?

Rhett retired back to his bedroom, reckoning that fresh air would probably do nothing to help him, and appeased himself smoking languidly on his bed. He then realized, he was leaving tomorrow, this whole… thing, marriage, charade, joke... it would all be buried as a mere nightmare of the past.

He felt strangely melancholic about this, but cast this unexpected nostalgia to one side of his mind.

The couple breakfasted apart- Scarlett in her bed, and Rhett in the dining hall. He went up to her room afterwards.

* * *

Scarlett gasped when her husband entered as he carelessly knocked on her door. She had just come out of her bath and put on her night dress for temporarily purpose of covering her modesty, whilst she pondered on her attire for the day.

The now wet night-dress became transparent as it came in contact with the water still left on her skin, revealing more than it was covering.

Rhett just stood there, his indifferent mask falling away to that off shock, as he stood motionlessly from the sight, heaving in heavy breaths.

They both stood there their eyes both raking the other. Scarlett was the first to make sense of the situation.

"I… guess it would be best if you give me a moment Rhett" she said, her face flaming in the color of her name.

"Ye,Yes I agree. Tell me when you want me. Oh no by that I don't mean…" Rhett stopped himself and added hastily "just get me when you are ready to… talk" and with that he made refuge to his room.

Rhett returned shortly after with a strikingly good impression of nonchalance. He chuckled at Scarlett's matching embarrassment to his inner feeling and added "don't make a fuss my pet, I've seen you in a lot less clothing".

"You are a cad" Scarlett said in feigned tone of amusement.

Another awkward silence stirred the pair. Scarlett sat at her bed, her head resting on its railing. Scarlett started to speak "About the divorce, I don't want anything, not really, I just want this house until, err, until I die, then you can do with it what you please"

"Well my dear, by the way you say that one would think you were only asking custody for a small span of time. You don't have to sugarcoat it to make it seem more acceptable, I am rich if I dare say so myself, and I have more than enough comfort to let you keep the house. By the way you put it, one would question how you were so sure I would live longer than you. I am older than you if you still remember my pet." "I am quite shock though, that you don't want to get your pretty paws all over the rest of my fortune."

"Of course," Scarlett managed spit out a remark. She could not bring herself to think of a clever retort, not after he so casually spoke of the prospect of her death. She was completely wrong it turned out, she expected him to be at least a little emotional concerning her death.

Rhett observed her, he had not managed to speak quite so harshly, and the lack of response from Scarlett shook him to the core. She was so dispassionate, whatever fault there was in their marriage, they never had any issues in provoking emotion from each other, even if it was one of hateful passion. He inwardly winced at the scarce affect Rhett had on Scarlett.

It was now Rhett's turn to break the awkward silence, "what do you say to going on one last tour with me around our _beloved _town to bid our marriage goodbye, my pet?"

"I would love that" Scarlett said.

Rhett did not fail to notice the slightest stir of sparkle in Scarlett's eyes.

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What do you guys want them to do? I deliberately put the word "TOUR" so that they can do other activities that you guys choose... some options in case you are having a writer's block with reviews...

1)shopping

2)just walking

3)anything else!

Please please please review+follow+favorite. I can not express how much I adore (and even that is an understatement) all your looovely reviews!

That's too much chatting with me again- can't stop myself!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	7. Looking Back

Finished chapter 7! I am so grateful to all you readers. Love you all!

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They walked along the cobbled pavement, heading for the slightly more remote area of the park, so that they would not bring so much attention to themselves. They would get enough of unwanted curious looks once they got divorced.

The November afternoon sun shone brilliantly through the green leaves, ignorant to the chilly air that clung in the atmosphere. Rhett was dressed in his dandy suit he put on earlier on in the day, whilst Scarlett wore a simple black dress. They walked in uneasy silence, both avoiding eye or physical contact.

Scarlett silently questioned what was wrong with her; she had planned to spend the best three days of her life with Rhett. She prepared for this time so meticulously, right down to how many times she would smile at him, or batter her full eyelashes, never mind the choice of her dress. However, the mortifying event of the morning caused her to forget about her dazzling red dress she previously planned to wear, and made her grope for the quickest dry thing to cover her body with.

She knew the clock was ticking by; she was wasting her limited and valuable time just to keep her pride intact. She had to… oh she didn't know, she had to do something! Do something to win him back for the weekend, do something to keep him…

It suddenly struck her, the possibility that she had been trying too artificially hard for the last day, or great balls of fire, probably for the last two years to control the situation. She had tried to control everything to the last detail, because in the past, that was what usually got her back to her feet, like back in the days when she had to get Tara up and running again. She used to check every store and land to analyze what she could do to get in running to her will. But Rhett was not Tara, Tara was not nearly as complicated or dare she say, dear to her as her husband was to her. She decided that she would for once lose her self-control and just see where fate would take her. She sadly chuckled at the fact that even if this new "plan" not to plan failed, she would not have to spend to long in the disastrous aftermath.

Rhett felt the sudden new easiness Scarlett's previously burden face possessed. Rather excited by the change, he was unintentionally inspired to offer her his arms. The courtly gesture was neither intimate nor terribly affectionate, even the old lambs of Charleston would be accepting to such contact between young beaus. However, Rhett gently grinned at how enthusiastic Scarlett was to take the offer.

They walked, getting immersed in their conversation, it was only small talk, but even that was a step better than the scarce correspondence the two shared over the last couple of years. They talked of the weather, the mill, and anything of everything.

As they were about to cross the gravel street, a bike suddenly appeared from the corner precariously close to where Scarlett was.

Scarlett felt more than saw Rhett's muscular body swiveling her around and crushing her body in to his frame. Scarlett stood there, in the middle of a desolate street, enveloped in Rhett's arms – his arms tightly clasped around her body and her face crushed into his chest, and with his head resting on her head.

Rhett let her go at the shock of their intimacy and mumbled his apologies. Scarlett struggled to breath at the sudden loss of support, and let out the wave of coughs she managed to suppress with the pills. She instinctively covered her mouth so that he may not see the blood she felt trickling on her lips. Rhett handed her his thankfully dark colored handkerchief, she gratefully received the item and desperately succeeded to wipe the trace off of her lips.

Once she composed herself, Scarlett met Rhett's eyes, was it concern she could read from his eyes?

"Are you quite alright, my pet, not just about the cough but you look a little pale too?" Rhett inquired.

"Oh yes, it's just the weather it's umm… a little cold isn't it Rhett?"

Rhett shrugged in agreement and suggested they went back home, only to be faced by Scarlett's strong disagreement. He roared out a laugh as he recognized the familiar pouted lips and flame in her eyes in his wife's face. She hadn't changed one bit.

Scarlett's eyes softened at the sound, they were so warm and comforting, nothing like the snorts or condescending smirks her husband so often displayed. She heard it for the second time this week, and that fact alone strangely managed to slightly pacify her nerves for her death. Shoving another reminder of her condition to the back of her mind, Scarlett tugged his arms to continue.

"Fiddle dee dee, Rhett, if I hadn't known you better, I might take your new tiredness to be signs of you aging!" Scarlett teased.

"My dear Mrs. Butler, what makes you think I am not old?" Rhett questioned, unexpectedly joyed that she found him youthful unlike how he considered himself.

"Well, not only can I see for myself," said Scarlett coquettishly raking her eyes at Rhett's body, "we are made of same cloth as you put it, and seeing that I'm **obviously** not old I can conclude that neither are you".

Rhett laughed heartily again at the familiar vanity Scarlett had of herself and remembered the time that. He quickly collected himself again in a cooler expression, but still added "My dear pet, I see your unending confidence is still intact".

"Why, I can swear I never revealed my vain appeals to my own husband!" Scarlett said in feigned innocence.

"Of course, and you certainly did not show any sign of pride when choosing your wedding dress."

Their smiling eyes met, then they once again felt a need for emotional distance from one another, Rhett stopped himself from venturing to the past and removed his arms gently from Scarlett's arms.

The awkwardness soon passed and they both could not help but amuse themselves at the same memory of the incident.

Rhett had been talking to Scarlett in her sitting room in Aunt Pitty's house when the dressmaker arrived, and as Aunt Pitty insisted for the removal of Rhett's presence in womanly business, Rhett pretended to leave, but sneaked into the room next door out of curiosity and excitement. He could hear Scarlett discussing the design with the tailor, "what style would you prefer, a modest one perhaps?"

Rhett could remember his heart warm at his soon-to-be wife's response. "Great balls of fire, can you not see my figure?"

Coming back to reality, he saw his soon-to-be-ex-wife standing next to him, her figure silhouetted by the setting sun. "Let's go back home my dear" Rhett said. He was startled but did not resist when Scarlett placed her hand at the crook of his arms again. Then in silence they walked back to the mansion

They were in for a surprise.

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So, I tried to have a bit of warm feelings between our favorite couple, but I wanted to avoid too much unnatural fluff. So, i tried(!) to reveal the possible feelings that remains between the few, and how the couple feels about it. I have not started to write the next chapter but would as soon as I can.

This means that there are a lot of open doors in terms of plot that you can review to me about! YAY! Also, please tell me any feedback for this chapter.

I know sometimes it's really hard to put reviews when you are busy, but please just one sentence will bring a smile to my face and faster pace for my updates. lol...

Enough rambling AGAIN! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

OH AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW+FOLLOW+FAVORITE!

till next time  
Hermiaxx


	8. Aunt Pitty the Chicken

Hey my lovely readers! I'm so sorry I haven't been uploading these past few days- fanfiction the site was not working on my computer! I know weird right? Any way it works now. This is by far the longest chapter yet thanks to all the reviews- please keep them up, they are what keeps me inspired! Thanks in particular to SpiritFeather19524. babbs098, missysammy, Itsy Bitsy Bunny, Rakuen 94, South678, and scribbler97+everyone else who reviewed including the guests. I try to pm every review, so please review away- after reading this chapter of coarse! Ok, that was tooo much talking from me, hope you like the new chapter!

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Scarlett and Rhett entered their mansion side by side, Rhett was taking the coat off of Scarlett in an unusual gentleman-like manner when they spotted Dr. Meade's note at the foot of the door.

"Dear Scarlett, your maid Prissy, has requested of me to leave this note on her behalf. I received a telegram from Dr. Neil who informed me that Pork had been taken gravely ill in Tara. Prissy is going on the train back to the plantation and will be back as soon as possible. Dr. Croft also sends his regards, and inquires you to write to him more often of your situation."

Rhett read the note, what captured his attentions though was the fact that this Dr. Croft whom he had never even heard of was sending his regards to his Scarlett. Who was this man? Why was Dr. Meade accepting, no even **assisting** this man to immorally correspond with a married woman? What did he mean by 'situation' was she… engaged to be married with him- whilst she was still bound to himself by law? That would explain why Dr. Meade found this Dr. Croft's forwardness acceptable. He desperately attempted to rid the possibility of his wife even being… with another man's child. The ideas made him feel physically sick, she **was **looking puny and pale these past few days.

Rhett somehow kept his mask of insouciance, slipping the note to his wife's trembling hands. She was often nervous when she did something that she was not meant to do. Her blatant cautiousness seemed to confirm his suspicion. He walked away from is wife without another word.

Scarlett had been scared half to death, well she already was that, but on a serious note, Scarlett was shaken to the core when she saw her love pick the note with the name Dr. Meade written prominently. She had no idea what the note would contain, would he be writing to inform me yet again that she had to at least make an effort to live? Scarlett felt her mouth dry as Rhett's dark eyes darkened even more.

When he pressed the note to her hands, he looked cool and composed, but she could see the trace of anger in his eyes. She read the note hastily herself, her heart sank a little further as she read the name Dr. Croft, but thankfully, the note did not specify the reason as to why she was expected to exchange information with Dr. Croft. The only logical explanations Scarlett could possibly come up with was that Prissy had gone back to Tara. Did he not want to be alone in the house wit her? She was silently taken back by this realization, the two had the house completely to themselves. Despite the situation, Scarlett could not help but let the soft blushes creep in to her face. She was seriously acting like a seventeen year old.

Then she was reminded why her husband would feel uncomfortable in her presence, he preferred the company of other… woman, and maybe, he saw his responsibility to protect his 'wife' as a hindrance to leaving the unprotected house to visit his beloved. Scarlett felt flames ferociously flickering in her heart, she was unable to stop the hot streams of tears to stream down her face. She tried everything, including not trying! She had the most wonderful and so-called 'civil' time with her husband, and even managed to let go of the fact that Rhett had chosen to visit his mistress before coming to see his estranged wife. She was so tired, she was emotionally and physically drained not only from the fight she had been putting up but also because of the deadly disease that was quickly eating away at her life. She craved the comfort of her husband, the warmth of her mother and mammy. Oh, they would both be rolling in their graves from the pitiful fiasco she had performed only to get a moment of her uninterested husband's attention. She was so ashamed at the woman she had become, she was meant to be Scarlett O'Hara. The greatest belle there ever was in the county of Clayton, the possessor of the most charming attributes in all four counties. For the hundredth time that weekend, Scarlett forced herself to be strong and confident. Rhett might be visiting the other woman, but not before he spent some time with her!

A sound from her stomach made her realize the practical responsibilities now neglected due to the lack of servants, she braced herself to talk to her husband about it.

She tentatively tapped the heavy door of her husband's room. When she was about to turn away, the door flung open. Rhett was standing by the doorway, he's shirt undone to the chest revealing the toned muscle adorned with dark hairs. His silently raged eyes, made her take a step back. "Rhett, we need to find a way to have dinner, seeing now that all the servants are gone."

Rhett was about to lose control of his tongue and ask her about the note before managing to stop himself. He instead recovered his composure and replied that they themselves would simply have to cook.

"Great balls of fire, do you intend to food poison us both?"

Rhett chuckled and led his wife downstairs. "If you feel that uncomfortable with the prospect of acting out such lowly activities, I'll just have to do it myself."

Rhett entered the kitchen whilst Scarlett was sitting in her seat at the table, fiddling with her cutlery.

As Rhett cooked the kitchen, he asked himself why he was so angry at the idea of his wife being with another man. He was sure he did not feel anything for her, but he could not help but clench his fists as he imagined his wife with another man. The image of her being carried away in arms that were not his, her lips being kissed by lips that was not his…

By the time Rhett came in to the dining room with his creation, he was evidently embarrassed by the heavily burnt chicken. "I was not very practiced I guess my pet" Rhett said as he also laid a bottle of wine to hide the taste of the chicken. Scarlett laughed for once as she helped him put the chicken down. "It somehow reminds of an angry Aunt Pitty" Scarlett mused at the hysterical chicken."

Rhett laughed loudly alongside her, why was she making him laugh so much? He placed himself at the head of the table as they both tried to cut through the disfigured chicken, both unable to stop the ricochets of laughter flowing from both of them. Rhett poured wine into Scarlett's to "enhance the taste, my pet".

Scarlett replied by saying "it will take a great deal more than just one bottle of wine to enhance the taste of **that** Rhett".

Rhett chuckled as he added some more in his own glass. "To everything that was good in our doomed marriage" Rhett sarcastically added, had it not been for his tone, one would have thought he was a husband celebrating his wedding anniversary from the previous merry atmosphere of the house.

"To our Bonnie" Scarlett softly smiled at the memory of her.

Instead of taking their usual opt for an awkward silence, the alcohol encouraged both of them to discuss their daughter. For once, Scarlett felt brave enough to ask "Rhett, what did you do with her when you went on your, umm, trip, you know, the one after you?"

Rhett studied her for a moment before judging it is appropriate to talk about the matter. "well, my pet, you know I took her to Charleston and Euroupe,"

"I mean what did you and Bonnie do?"

"In Charleston, I took her to all the best shops in the area, she loved it," Rhett smiled at this, "She would not however, stop talking about getting you pretty much everything from any of the shop we visited, we saw an emerald ring once, that was just like your eyes, and she insisted that I buy it for you, when I said no, she even started to bargain prices with the shop manager myself. It was a sorry sight for just one man to see, the little raven-haired girl easily maneuvering with the manager of the biggest jewelry store in Charleston. I had to buy it in the end, but I do think Bonnie would have been able to get the ring at a strikingly lower price if I had not stopped her. She's like her mother in that way I guess, she always managed to get what she wanted."

Scarlett echoed his reminiscent smile and added "I missed her so much during those months, I kept wondering what she would think when she found out that she was going to have a new sibling…, I also wondered what you would think" Scarlett bitterly laughed.

Rhett immediately straightened at hearing this, re-filling both of their empty glass yet again with more drink. "I…" he could not think of what to say, he felt he had to share some of his emotions regarding that horrible incident but he just simply could not put them into words. How was one, ever, able to put into words how they killed their own child and risked the life of the mother as well?

"I also wondered what he or she would look like, I wanted it to be a boy you know. I pictured a small boy that looked just like his father for all of the three months. It was like I had a little snippet of you inside of me, and for the first time, I really wanted to protect it. Yes, a cat may be a better mother than me but I, I" Scarlett struggled to continue as her eyes became tear-brimmed.

Rhett nearly fell of from his chair as he took in the information, she had cared for the baby, hell, she wanted the baby, loved it even, and all because the thing was his. He cleared his throat, as he looked deeper into the enchanting set of green eyes. Of coarse, this was not going to change anything that was scheduled for tomorrow, of coarse not, it was just an unusual experience for both of them to say the least. "I thought that it was going to be a girl, a girl that looks just like you and Bonnie, but with your green eyes and dimples, she would have been beautiful."

"All our children would have been beautiful you know, you can not get better looking parents than us" Scarlett frankly added.

The vain statement changed Rhett's melancholic mood to a jolly one, he laughed as he stood to clear the plates "parents, you say, does this mean that I too am deserving of your self-praises?"

Scarlett playfully elbowed him as she too took the glasses.

She turned around towards the door heading for the staircase, when the familiarity of the scene struck Rhett. She looked just like that night, her hips unintentionally swaying seductively her pale neck glowing from the candles.

"Scarlett"

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There is going to be a massive change next chapter. Please review away so I can write it to your liking!

Thank you so much!

till next time  
Hermiaxx


	9. Rose Colored Glasses of Love

hey, another update!

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He turned around before Scarlett could respond to him calling her. He silently counted the ticking clocks of the grandfather clock in the dining room, wondering if she had heard him, or if she was going to respond. He would not have made such a big fuss had he not heard the evident thirst in his voice as he called after his soon to be estranged wife. After a prolonged silence, he allowed a glance towards the staircase. She was gone. Thanking his luck, he proceeded to clear the remaining plates to the washing.

He opened the door in the kitchen that led to the Butler wine cellar, or O'Hara as of tomorrow. The idea for some reason pressed him on to retrieve the marvelous liquor. He took the glass to the dining room and proceeded on. Without Scarlett's presence to distract him, he thought back to the note. How dare the man violate his wife? Violate the bounds of matrimony that was obviously and vulgarly displayed on her left hand? He took another swig of the drink, and then another.

Scarlett took the water jug at her bedside table and drank it with what was left of the tablet. She winced at the bitter taste, and decided to help herself to have some more drink- some proper ones. She wrapped herself up in the same scandalous nightgown from the night before. It was the most modest one in her closet and it was only the memory of the day's earlier time that deemed the clothe inappropriate. Besides, judging by the quietness of the house, he was probably out. The thought made her consume even more of her scarcely touched, and therefore, full bottle of alcohol. The new humming in her veins, and her growing need for Rhett, sparked an idea within her. She went into her dressing room, rummaging through great piles of clothes like a thirsty girl digging to find a stream of water. She smiled triumphantly holding what she was looking for as she shakily stood back up again. She shed her clothes off and slipped into Rhett's dark dressing robe made of silk. Rhett had slipped it due to the tantrum Scarlett was dashing at him whilst he was hastily packing.

She was humming as she walked towards her bedroom door to see Rhett, the addition of alcohol in her blood was giving her courage to do thing she never would have done had she been sober.

Scarlett paused by the door; even in her drunk state she was scared. Scared of what Rhett would say. Frightened to be confirmed that Rhett had indeed left her. She would have to get used to that, he was leaving her for good the next day, and she too would reciprocate that actions in the months to come. She started to cry again, so scared of death, but also the prospect of never being able to be with her husband again, her husband who did not give a damn.

The door suddenly swung open.

Rhett was at the other side, looking almost like a caged beast: his eyes were hungry and deep, his shirt still unbuttoned to the waist. He did not comprehend what compelled him to come to Scarlett's room. But the sight of Scarlett before his eyes made him stop caring about why, he stopped thinking about the hurts of the past and the future. All that mattered was the woman before him.

She was facing him, her cheeks slightly blushed, probably due to the alcohol, they really were cut from the same cloth. His breath hitched as he eyed his wife's body, her ample breasts were defined by the soft flickering of the candlelight. He forgot to breathe all together when he saw what she was wearing.

He reached out to cup her porcelain cheeks, looking deeply into her confused yet longing eyes. Forgetting himself, he tugged on the strap holding her gown in place. He did not proceed so far as to remove the gaping gown completely from its new owner; he was too stunned at himself to do so even in his slightly drunken set of mind. He then felt the wetness on his Scarlett's face. Rather instinctively, he brought her into his cradling arms and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Then, out of nowhere, he felt fumes of fury rising within him. His body was playing tricks on himself; he did not want nor love this vulgar woman before him; the woman who played with his heart until she grew bored, the woman who was able to conduct an affair with another whilst sending pleas of passion to her husband. "No, I definitely arrived at the wrong door, too much alcohol my pet, I thought this was Belle's".

Scarlett felt her heart tatter to tiny pieces at this. She involuntarily tossed her head upwards as she tried to detach herself from his embrace, causing for her lips to brush lightly against Rhett's.

All rational thoughts escaped him as he lustfully crushed her body against his. He crossed the point of no return when he felt the rising and the falling of her bare chest against his exposed upper body. He swiveled around, keeping their bodies still intact, and shoved both of them to the wall. This left Scarlett caught between the thick wood and her husband's muscular body. The loose ribbon that held her hair in place was the first to slip on to the cold hard floor without a fight.

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What do you guys think? please review!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	10. Submitting or Appeasing?

sorry for the cliff hanger, really quick update to make up for it though! I hope you all enjoy this chapter...

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He removed his shirt without breaking their heated kiss; he reached for her breasts through the silk dressing gown. The cool slippery nightgown was contrasting sharply with the warmth radiating from within. He aggressively placed her kneeling on the edge of the bed, while he faced her still standing; their upper body was crushed against each other. This meant that her face was leveled with his neck, which she quickly resolved to nuzzle. Rhett tilted his head backwards, clasping his eyes shut.

He knocked her down to make her lye on her back. Rhett straddled her possessively, expecting to see rage from her due to his aggressiveness. He paused his movements as his eyes met hers, sparkling brilliantly with trust and love. Why was she looking at him with such tenderness when he was almost forcing himself on her? Had she not heard his insult where he lied that he confused his green-eyed wife to a whore?

Scarlett would have blushed at her husband's forwardness had she not loved him enough to see the unintentional tenderness he hid behind his brusque actions. He had clasped his arms tightly around her body when he carried her as if he was scared he was going to lose her, he unknowingly caressed her arms as he guided her down to the bed.

He had wanted to not sleep with her, but feeling the restricted bulge, he appeased himself that he could settle for having his way with her like that Dr. Croft did to her, and like how he himself shared beds in the company of whores. The crucial mistake was that he overlooked the fact that this woman was Scarlett O'Hara. He set his chaotic thoughts away, at least for that one night.

He did not realize when his hands had reached the lining of the open dressing gown. Slowly, he grasped the material in his hands and removed it off of her. Rhett grunted as he saw the corset and stocking obscuring his view. He motioned for Scarlett to sit up and face away from him. She followed his instructions, gripping the post by the head of the bed for support. The damned corset fell of under his skilled hands, and he threw them towards the door. Scarlett's hair tumbled as she nervously giggled.

The sound drained the last piece of rationality left within him.

"I am going to have my way with you tonight" Rhett coldly added as he made her lie on her back again. "What do you say to that, Mrs. Butler?"

Scarlett's breath hitched and her back arched as Rhett traced her nipples.

"Hard for me already I see, my my, you are more lewd than most of the others" Rhett said, failing to mention that the whores he bedded for the last two years were all green eyed and black haired. Failing to mention that he never found any of them satisfactory as he constantly compared her to them.

Rhett flicked the peaks with his hands to stop Scarlett from biting back. "Cat got your tongue?" Rhett asked again as he lowered his hungry mouth to suckle the summit.

He slipped the stocking off with his other hands, and massaged his way back up slowly, in rhythm with his busy tongue. When his hand reached its destination, Rhett was scared whose name she was going to call out, he would ring the man's neck.

"Rheeeett" Scarlett screamed at the top of her lungs.

With that, he ripped the final garment up, and lowered himself between her thighs. Rhett looked at it "My pet, you are too wet, let me help you with that" Rhett said as he lowered his head.

"Rhett please, oh oh please"

"Please what?"

"I need you"

"how much?"

Her desperate pants as she tried to voice herself answered his question.

Rhett hugged Scarlett's sitting body tightly and buried his calloused hands into her soft hair as he entered into the warmth that was Scarlett. He quietly grunted with delight in her shivers and moans.

He thrust into her slowly, for some reason, he wanted her to enjoy it too. It was just like the other night of drunken passion, except this time, somehow, he wanted her even more. More than ever, he wanted to remind himself who was truly in his arms, he wished to look into those bejeweled bewitching eyes and see his reflection in them.

Scarlett's head found the crook where Rhett's neck and shoulder met and rested on them. Vibration shook to his core every time she moaned into his skin.

After it was done, they both looked at each other speechless. He did not remove himself from her as expected. To his shock, Scarlett rolled him over. He was more scared than he could ever remember himself to be as Scarlett straddled him like he did with her. Her face though, bore a sweet nervous smile. "I want to pleasure you too, show me how." Her whisper was almost too quiet to hear, not that any man could ever discard an offer as sweet as that, especially if the girl was Scarlett.

He grew hard inside her again, and over and over again, they made love until the first grey streak of line shone through the heavy crimson velvet curtain.

He struggled to open his eyes, but was forced to do so by the sun now blazing light blinded him. He shortly forgot where he was, and… what he had done the night before. As the senses returned to his sore body, he felt the smooth silky white back pressed against his front. He would not have had to turn her around to know who she was, even if he forgot the events of the night before. The golden lights made her porcelain skin glow lightly; her hair, her damned hair was shining, wrapped around his throat. Had he not known her better, he would have felt guilty for getting such pleasure out of such an angelic figure.

He remained awkwardly in his position. He was about to remove his possessive tanned arms against her tiny waist when she whimpered and sank deeper into his chest.

What was he going to do?

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I know, i know, another cliff hanger! Tell me if I should do scened like this in the future, or not, and why! Or jus tell me anything in general!

PLEASE REVIEW+FOLLOW+FAVORITE,

I'm going to be really busy and I am not sure I would be motivated to upload this much if I don't get many reviews! Love you all!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	11. The Morning After

Hey! Sorry it took a whole week to upload- I had a bit of a writer's block. I want to thank serena03 for nominating me for the "arising star awards" and for all of you who voted for me! I was so shocked- seriously, I did not even know that many people even read this fanfic! I love to write this anyway, and it overjoyed me to think that many of you enjoyed reading it. I want to thank Cello Magnifique- for urging me to update! Diana for her lovely reviews. Rhett's love for her/his amazing advices. Sprit Feather 19524, my first ever reviewer for his/her continued support. ChrisOHB who I admire very much. South678 for her encouragement- I needed it! And lastly, all of you!

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Rhett could have pulled back, but instead, just for a moment longer, he chose to bury his nose in Scarlett's slightly ruffled hair from the previous night's activities. He found himself unable to strain away from the unfamiliar comfort and warmth he received from the adoring aroma that blended rosewater and wild lilies in one sweet harmony. Her naked back was still pressed to his chest, and still, even in his sober state, he found himself unable to shove her away. The night before was ferocious yet gentle; passionate to the extent that it even managed to scare him, yet at the same time, mingled with a touch of soft glow. It reminded him of their last night of union before that day, even the dark dance of heat came shy to what had transpired about four hours ago. He realized, he was lusting for her again, he did not love her, no, how could he-right? But even the great Rhett Butler could not deny that he had ached for Scarlett to his core.

He grew immensely frustrated at the situation, Scarlett moaned again as if she could sense the switch of sensations. Scarlett lazily battered her eyes open to see the two dark eyes of her husband boring down at her. Rhett was at loss in what to do, why did she look so content- by god was that a blush he saw rising in her cheeks?

"Good morning" Scarlett cautiously purred, a subtle smile gracing her slightly redder lips.

Scarlett turned her head back slightly to look her lover in the eye. Was this the way she looked at that Dr. Croft after they… copulated- maybe in this very bed where their affair could be kept discreet? Feeling physically sick, Rhett blurted out something he regretted saying as soon as it left his lips "Oh spare me your obligatory façade of happiness, I am getting old after all, I thought…" Rhett paused slightly looking at his still-happy wife, did he really want to break this precious moment? He realized he was falling in to the poisonous trap of Scarlett when he had the chance to escape it, "well, I thought that you were Belle! Or any other whore, I always go for the easiest to reach, I suppose that was you last night my pet." Rhett looked back at the swirl of delightful emerald eyes turn into one of confusion, then to something unidentifiable but utterly frightening, all the while he was trying to make an impression of indifference.

A sharp intake of breath was the only audible response Scarlett gave. She was so happy, for once; she had not cared for what was to happen the day after, for she was fully grateful for the actions that had transpired. She felt full, safe, she believed that absolutely nothing could possibly harm her when the strong arms of her husband guarded her. She forgot the wretched disease, their, no, her love seemed to easily overpower the mere illness. She was wrong.

"Is that where you were that day you came back?"

Rhett tensed, how did she know, was she there? "Yes."

Scarlett detached herself from the embrace

Put the closest clothes she could find around herself

And without a word,

She left him

Rhett was left dumbstruck as his wife walked away from him. He felt hopeless, desperate, and somehow confused as his wife wordlessly distanced herself away. He felt as though she was snatched out of his possessive arms, as if, as if the word was crumbling around him. Was this how she felt when he left her that morning? Why was he feeling this way?

Too tired from the sudden realization to his mixed feelings, he did not chase after her, knowing that she probably needed to be away from him after the unthinkable things he said to her. Instead, he wrapped himself around in his old dressing gown that was previously worn by his wife the night before. It smelled of her, fresh floral scent of roses and lilies. Feeling utterly lonely, he rummaged through his head to justify what exactly it was that he felt for her.

Scarlett had fastened her dress somehow by herself as she determinedly, yet lacking a destination, down the grand staircase of her house. Flinging the door open, she tried to breathe. How could he say that to her? Was that what she was to him- a common whore? So did the feelings and thoughts that she believed happened the night before a figment of her pitiful desperate imagination?

She was walking to everywhere and anywhere, the hurt and the subsequent fury fueled her ill body to do what she should not be physically able to do at her grave fragility. Scarlett stopped herself when she saw when she realized where she had unconsciously walked.

An unwanted memory came back in to her mind.

"And as for you being my wife-you haven't been much of a wife since Bonnie came, have you? You've been a poor investment, Scarlett. Belle's been a better one."

"Investment? You mean you gave her-?"

" 'Set her up in business' is the correct term, I believe. Belle's a smart woman. I wanted to see her get ahead and all she needed was money to start a house of her own. You ought to know what miracles a woman can perform when she has a bit of cash. Look at yourself."

"You compare me-"

"Well, you are both hard-headed business women and both successful. Belle's got the edge on you, of course, because she's a kind-hearted, good-natured soul-"

So this was the house that Rhett built for the whore. It bore resemblance to her house; the difference between a mistress and a wife was not included in Rhett's dictionary. No, quite the opposite, he had built an accommodation to the kind and good whore. So this was where he "basically lived" with her. Their lives were in parallels except that Scarlett drove Rhett away to the whorehouse, whilst Belle was waiting with open arms to greet her husband back.

The memories of their painful information, and the guilt from fact that there was a time when she was actually glad that there was a replacement for her to attend to her husband's neglected needs pushed her to enter the infamous establishment- her already tainted reputation could not hunt her down for too long anyway.

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So what do you guys think? Please review! I am finding it a little harder to write right now due to various reasons and I really need encouragements+suggestions! Thank you all again for reading this and I'll be greedier in asking you to FAVORITE+FOLLOW+REVIEW!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	12. Selfless Sacrifice

Thank you to everyone who reviewed - including diana and cello magnifique- really appreciate it! I actually got this main plot line from the review so please all of you- please do the same! this is a little sad, but, err... I'll try harder to make it lighter next time!

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Shattered glasses, giggles and seductive whines, and the all-encompassing smell of cheap booze greeted Scarlett as she entered the whorehouse. She looked around her as if she was unconsciously looking for something… a trace of her husband. Relived that there were no standing out evidence of her love in a brothel, she started to look for the infamous madam of this establishment. She did not have to search hard to find the distinctive red haired woman. Belle was standing by a gambling table, seemingly sharing a joke or two with the gamblers. She had batted her fake eyelashes when they opened wide at the sight of Scarlett in the room.

Scarlett felt her cough beginning to build up within her 'damn' she thought, she had forgotten her pills that morning. She composed herself however just like mammy and Ellen had taught her to carry herself, her posture was straight but not too snobby, her eyes were cool and distant.

Belle had managed to blurt out soulless excuses to her companions, all the while unable to stop looking at her new visitor. Belle approached her and muttered "Why are yu here th'n?" rather condescendingly in an amused tone. **The whore had some nerves.** Scarlett surprised herself by politely asking her "do you have somewhere more, hm, private for us to be?"

"Nev'r thought I'd hear yar say that, not from Rhett" Belle snorted. She raised her eyebrows when even the cruel play on words did not seem to affect the woman before her.

Belle remembered what this woman was, no, still meant to her. She unknowingly held Rhett's heart in her pretty little paws whilst Belle was left groping for his heartless body. Her blue eyes did not stand a chance against the brilliant emerald of her eyes that glittered like a star, drawing men around her- drawing Rhett away from her. She had pained countless nights when Rhett had made love to her before the marriage, but she was still content that although she did not have his love, no one else did neither. But when he went to Clayton, he had altogether stopped sleeping with her or anyone, as if one meaningless encounter bounded him in to a life of faithfulness. The irony though, came from the fact that he returned when he was bound to his wife by law, he had been drunk in all of those times, and seemed strangely guilty each morning, but that did not stop him from returning to her every week or so, trying to get back at his wife, shouting **her** name when they had sex.

Once entering Belle's bedroom, Scarlett had been mildly surprised at the lack of the attributes she had come across downstairs- it was clean and quite modest.

Scarlett and Belle stood at an arm's length from each other, neither willing to submit to the awkward silence between them by being the first to talk. Scarlett silently questioned what she was going to do. Had she not been ill, she would already have set fire on this place after soaking it thoroughly with its own cheap alcohol. However, she was unwell. She could not help but consider what would be the best for Rhett. There was a possibility that he might not have anyone left. She knew that his family had moved to England, he would not even have someone to hate left in this continent by the next year.

"I came here to talk about Rhett" Scarlett said. Ignoring Belle's feigned effort to suppress a smirk and the rolling of her eyes, Scarlett felt her pride diminish at the prospect of Rhett being left alone. Of course, he was one hell of a strong man, but she did not want him to get lonely, especially knowing that his pride like hers, would stop him from admitting he was lonely. "I want to ask, no, beg something of you."

The playful emotions that had previously lightened the whore's face dropped and turned into one of interest.

Suddenly, she was seized with wails of violent coughs, clutching her handkerchief against her mouth; she could feel the blood that had already soaked the material. She shortly thought of hiding this sign of her vulnerability in front of her most hated enemy. But no, she did not. She made eye contact with the yet unmoved madam and instead of stashing the material in her pocket, she turned it around so that Belle could see it for herself.

Belle gasped.

The reciprocal of vulnerability would have pleased Scarlett no end, but there was a more pressing matter to deal with.

"I know that Rhett does not love me anymore," fancy admitting that to the very woman who Rhett had turned to after this realization. "But I," Scarlett cleared her throat. "The point is Miss Watling, I am begging you to look out for him once I am… six feet under."

Belle was motionless from the waves of facts her scorned archenemy had informed for her. She did pity her, but above her, she could not help but admire the woman who put her pride aside for the sake of her unloving husband.

"I know he likes your company, I saw it for myself at the train station."

Belle could not help but feel extremely guilty. She knew that Scarlett was probably going to be there, and Belle had enough male associates to be informed of Rhett's coming to Atlanta. She had deliberately been there to show Scarlett who was in control. Could she have done the same had she been in Scarlett's shoes? Another thing, the woman before her clearly did not know that her husband did not even set a foot in her establishment that day. He blamed it on his tiredness of course, but she had seen the guilty gulp Rhett took at the distant view of Peachtree street.

"I will" Belle spoke, unable to admit her defeat three days prior.

"Thank you" Scarlett said, tears brimming in her eyes at her own fall, low enough to get her into the bedroom of a whorehouse.

With the assurance, Scarlett left the house, only to be faced by her own husband at the entrance.

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Thank you for reading so much! I am going to be greedy again to REVIEW+FOLLOW+FAVORITE! You never know if your suggestion would be written in the next chapter! As I said, I got the inspiration for this chapter from the reviews, and that made my update faster as well so pleeeeeeaaaaase review! Love you guys!

till next time  
Hermiaxx


	13. Instincts

Hey- I wrote this an hour ago but I had an error to get on to this site so sorry! I just want to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who read and even reviewed for this story- they really are what makes me keep writing. Thanks in particular to Scarlettlovesrhett for her enthusiasm that affects me too! Spiritfeather my most consistent reviewer- love you! Sarah DS, and Diana- wish you guys had an account so I could PM you. Cobertfan, ChrisOHB, and everyone else! Enough babbling I know I know... so here's chapter 13 dum dum dum - lol sorry I'm just so tired! ;)

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Rhett and Scarlett stared at each other in spine-chilling silence. Rhett's eyes were inflamed like that of a beast as he saw his wife in front of the backdrop of the whorehouse behind her. The tension between them was thickening, the two identically prideful people were too proud to start explaining as to why they were at the specific location. Rhett scanned the exterior of his wife to see why, or, what she could have possibly been doing in the place **he** used as a form of revenge, not the other way round. The slightly thinner yet still perfect body reminded him of their… activities from the previous night. Why did she have to look so beautiful?

A rather unfortunately drunk man staggered towards the entrance where the couple stood, he was an obvious visitor, everyone knew everyone in this town and no one would dare to go in to a brothel in broad daylight. Well, except for the married couple right at the door of the establishment. He struggled to walk in a straight path, his stubbled chin gave away that he had not been sleeping respectively for at least the last week, and most prominently, the stench that surrounded him resembled a smell of a sea of dead fish exposed for about a month.

Despite this, neither Rhett nor Scarlett noticed the pathetic man until he brushed past her. The mystery man paused at the contact and turned Scarlett to face him by pushing on her frail shoulder. The man's eyes raked her up and down and slurred "Whoa, the gals here really are good even for their high price. Even in that dress you make me want to…"

Rhett's ferocious fist found his face.

Rhett yanked Scarlett into his left arm whilst his right demonstrated another hook to the man's bloated face. Ignoring the squeals of excitement from the girls who had seen the encounter including their easily recognizable favorite dashing customer. At the sound of the hoard of make up painted girls, Scarlett who by now had been involuntarily clutching on to Rhett's strong arms, seemed startled for a moment whilst Rhett desperately searched for a reaction from Scarlett. Her face then turned in to one of numbness and nonchalance, it tore at his heart.

Rhett tugged at the woman still in his arms to go to the already parked buggy. How warm and wonderful it felt to feel her in his arms again, he had almost forgotten why he was there, why she was there! That brought him back to reality.

"Did the bastard hurt you Scarlett?"

Scarlett would have been overwhelmingly shocked and jolly at the sudden worry Rhett displayed towards her, however the physical evidence of his infidelity that was delivered right under her nose just after she had put her own jeweled pride in to the bin for his sake, Scarlett chose to ignore him.

Rhett could not care less about how Scarlett had ignored him, he could not get the image of the man's filthy hand laying on his Scarlett. But even more than his possessiveness, he was truly worried as to what she was feeling.

Rhett thought back to the earlier events of the morning that had led him to come to the house.

_Rhett was lying still on the bed, trying as hard as he can to calmly recollect the events of the last three days. He had tried, as he had for the last two years to suck out the poison in his blood that gave him nothing but humiliation and heartbreak. _

_But the way Scarlett's eyes glittered in the golden sun, the way her body unconsciously swayed seductively to capture every man's heart, and the… intimate moments they shared. He had remembered their walk down to the park, in those short moments; he had received more peace that he could find for the last years he spent alone. By peace, he did not mean the boring lifeless passing of time, but the memories and conversations he shared in his wife's company was like having all the pleasant and tranquil essences fill his heart up. He resolved that the feelings were not because he loved his wife, but because she had been after all his closest friend, who he could confide with without the uppity judgmental view._

_As for the night that they shared, he had just been very drunk, too drunk. He did not really mind whether his wife slept with another man, why would he?_

_But whilst he was trying to distract himself of the one fact that had constantly alarmed him through justifying the happenings of the last days, the isolation and the lack of things to do made him realize that one fact he had kept ignored and deny from himself._

_There was something odd about her; he felt it especially when she said she found the weather cold in their little walk. He could always tell precisely what she was going through all the time. He was not sure what it was that captured his attentions, but his instincts were shouting at him not to leave her, with this, he headed to Belle's to ask her if she knew anything about Scarlett's recent situations. He even felt guilty at the fact that he had not been there to know about his wife any better than his mistress did. Hell, how he was beaten once again, being greeted by none other than his own wife._

"I am going to stay" Rhett said.

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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU again for reading my worthless fiction! I am going to be selfish and ask you to please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Or even fav+follow!

Love you all so muchxx!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	14. Let You Go

Hey guys! This chapter is not that long, but I did not want to keep you in suspense! Anyway, thank you to Diana (so excited i can pm u now!), Chris OHB (love u!), SpringFeather19524(your reviews keep me going), scarlettrhett4ever, scarlettlovesrhett(luv ur review),gbella(I am so happy u reviewed!Thank you!), south678(short and sweet!), babbs098,Melody-rose (new reviewer-yey!), and of course cello magnifique!

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Scarlett looked at her husband to see if what she thought she had just heard was true. "What?"

"I am going to stay my dear" Rhett coldly repeated.

"How long?" Scarlett questioned. Despite her nonchalant exterior that matched her husband, she could not help but feel her heart flutter faster and faster.

"Until I have had enough of you. I will admit Scarlett, you have awoken a sort of... er, feeling within me if you like, last night, or even from the last three days. I assure you it is a mere fleeting mood that will not last long, just until I run out of lust for you as well as love." Rhett himself came to believe in his spontaneous justification that he came up at the top of his head to prevent Scarlett from misunderstanding his change of mind.

"If that is the case I'd rather you leave Rhett." Scarlett averted her gaze to the scenery, hoping to hide her springing tears. She would have to let him go. She would anyone in the course of the coming months, she might as well do it now when he could remember her still beautiful.

Rhett nearly let go of the reigns when he had heard this. What did she mean?

Rhett looked at her incredulously as she looked away from him, as she always had done in her moment of vulnerability.

There it was again.

The attack of yet another agonizing feeling returned to him. He could not explain why, or what had caused it, but there were moments when he felt cold sweats running down the length of his spine, and he could swear an invisible icy hand was squeezing his heart.

"I did not sleep in Belle's that day Scarlett." Rhett said as if he was pleading for her to let him stay.

"Which one, there were so many I lost count." Said Scarlett after a pregnant pause.

Rhett inwardly winced at this but added "the day that I came back to you." He too realized how his words could be interpreted, but he chose to ignore it, as that was the least of his worries at that moment.

"I know."

"Is that…is that why you went to that house Scarlett? To reprimand Belle about my err…" Rhett struggled to choose the right word. He chastised himself for being so unlike himself; he was the great Captain Butler, but here he was struggling to stand up to his wife, although the fact that the wife was Scarlett did slightly appease him.

Rhett silently waited for her answer as he parked his buggy in front of the mansion. They both lingered at the gate leading up to the pavement that stretched to the door, Rhett unsure whether he was allowed in to the house he bought and sustained, and Scarlett being blocked by the tall toned statue of her husband.

Scarlett had to try to get rid of him, the fact that he might care just a little about her warmed her heart and made her want even more than before to make his life a little happier. The smallest admission from him that he cared for her gave her courage on the undeniable prospect of death, it even gave her the courage to do something she had thought she would never be able to do, **she had to try to get rid of him. **

Suddenly, the spark returned to her eyes she looked away from him again and mumbled "No. I went to see if there were any new husbands for me out there, I knew I would like the sorts that stayed in those places, I mean, they are probably not that concerned with their wives as much as the domestic ones, it will give me some freedom. Of course I could just work there, maybe then men like you will start to find me attractive. Oh that's right I had already attracted a man unintentionally too! As long as they don't leave me with a parcel of brats, I guess a life as a whore would not be that bad either. What difference does it make, when your reputation is already low and you are sharing your soon-to-be-ex-husband with your fellow whores?"

Rhett turned around at this and walked away towards his buggy, whilst Scarlett faced him with her back.

She could not see him, but that did not mean that she was any less aware of the situation.

She could hear his footsteps moving more and more distant.

She could hear him get on to the damned buggy.

She heard the rhythmic sound of the horses starting to get in to motion.

Scarlett turned around to face the streets, unable to bear the sensation of her heart being torn and tattered into a million shreds. She clutched at her chest, the pain had nothing to do with her illness, but with her broken heart.

Gone.

Rhett was gone.

That was the last time she ever got to see him. Their good byes were not meant to be like this, how could a couple as passionate and unprecedented as them be parted so brusquely? She felt her legs give way and she collapsed on to the street.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh" Scarlett screamed silently, unable even to make a sound. She kept clutching her pale hands around her heart as her small trembling body shook uncontrollably.

She gasped as she felt someone's arms enveloping her. She looked up through her teary eyes to see…

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Too much? Too understated? Tell me what you think, I have to admit, I did rush this chapter because I didn't want you guys all waiting! Once again I am hugely grateful to everyone who took time to read this fiction, I would have given up on this if it weren't for you guys.

One more favor- Review! -pretty please? lol!

And! how many more chapters do you guys want?

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	15. Cross Purposes

Hey my lovely lovely readers, and even more lovely reviewers- lol jks! Thank you so much to

SpringFeather19524(you'll be a vip in this story if I could have one!),

gbella (so sweet! Your update is here;)),

charmain (thank you for ur encouragement, I have a friend with the same name as you!),

ScarlettlovesRhett (we can all get a little frustrated with Rhett from time to time can't we ;( - let's hope he behaves in this chapter),

butterfly64 ( no Rhett does not have to be so cruel to Scarlett, but he is Rhett, so I guess we can forgive him to an extent!),

Cello Magnifique (thank you for your continued support- really thank you!),

Melody-Rose-20 (one of my newest and dearest reviewer!),

scarlettrhett4eva (I sense another cliff hanger...- I agree, I have a new found love for cliff hangers! so please keep reviewing! and I'll try not to keep you in suspense for too long),

anaPanang ( your reviews are perfect too!),

NGArmywife (prideful, and stubborn, I can't find two better words to describe them neither!),

and Diana, Diana Diana Diana- (I am soooo happy you got an account- thanks for faving be too!)

phew! too much rambling from me- sorry! Now on with the new chapter...

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Something most definitely was wrong. He had tried to deny it of course, but feeling her sobbing and shaking violently in his arms just like the times she had a nightmare in their early marriage. It seemed that the nightmare had somehow turned into reality.

Rhett's heart clenched as he saw Scarlett's hand move from clutching on her chest on to his arms that were now around her frail body. He tried to look into her eyes that were deliberately avoiding his. Seeing that nothing could be done to encourage her to respond, he tightened his hold on Scarlett. Even in such troublesome situation, their touch was electric, sending a wave of current to his heart and spine.

"Sshh I am going to look after you now" Rhett comfortingly said whilst slowly cradling Scarlett's body "You are going to be all right. I'm here now"

"Y. You. You are not helping. I don't need you Rhett. Great balls of fire I don't need you!" Scarlett argued, however, she did not fight to detach herself from his embrace but instead, buried herself deeper within."

"Thanks for the crumbs from your table, Mrs. Dives."

Even Scarlett's foul mood gave way as she joined his seemingly joyful mood. Finally, she looked back at her husband's searching eyes with her own watery verdant ones. She wanted him to go but she also desperately craved for him to stay.

"_Mrs. Butler,_until you divorce me that is." Scarlett bit her lip, what was she trying to do?

"Indeed." Rhett remarked, still holding her close to himself.

"Speaking of which, **Mrs. Butler** I do think that was quite enough performance for one day for our beloved audience." Rhett smirked as his wife's eyes widened at the knowledge that someone had witnessed her moment of vulnerability. Scarlett looked around desperately to see who was on the street. Even in her state, Scarlett was frightened of showing her soft side to anyone else, that for some reason tug at Rhett's heart.

There was no one.

"You cad! You… You…" Scarlett said, for the first time trying to kick and hurl her way out of Rhett's arms.

Rhett roared his heart warming laughs again and easily picked Scarlett up with him as he stood. Her fighting almost immediately stopped as she took in her situation. Rhett's cool demeanor fell back in to place as expected, but Scarlett could not hide the bewilderment and wonder in her expression at her husband's newly recollected skill of intimacy. She should have insisted for him to leave her again. She should most definitely have not let a man hold her like so in broad daylight. And in public too! But despite this, Scarlett's body acted on its own accord.

Her brain urged her to compose herself, whilst her heart beat wildly in her chest. Her mind demanded for release, whilst her unsure arms snaked its ways around Rhett's neck.

Why had he chosen to come back now? Yes, he said it had something to do with the events of the night before, or even from the fondness they shared for the last three days. But why, why did this all have to happen just in time for her to die? She had no doubt that her love for him would never die, the statement from anyone else could be interpreted as melodramatic, however, the words were only an understatement considering that they had come from the mouth of a cold hearted business woman. 'Ha' Scarlett inwardly claimed; she would indeed be very cold hearted in the literal sense not too long from now.

Rhett was now carrying her body up the stairs. Recollecting the other times he had carried her up the stairs, her body froze. At the sudden stiffness of Scarlett's body, he panicked. The stairs and their intimacy too served as a cruel reminder to Rhett who did not need any reminder to the awful events that had transpired. He could no longer look Scarlett again as he remembered how he had forced a child on to her, and how he had taken it away. He even considered joining his wife's teary state as he remembered how Scarlett had wanted the sweet baby, their baby.

He had not told her. He felt compelled not to do so in order to protect himself from the woman he asked to be his wife. He had not shared with her how he felt that day, even before their encounter or her confession.

_He barely ate or slept on their train journey back. He was so terrified of seeing her again._

_The picture of his sleeping wife after he violated her was still freshly portrayed into his guilty conscience. The sound of her humming some days later provided him hope that perhaps, just perhaps she might have enjoyed their night too, until he remembered the desperate and frantic suppressed scream from his wife as he carried her, climbing two steps at a step. He remembered that cold expression of hers when he had explained where he had been the past 3 days, and that he was going away again._

_He was wringing his hands and cufflinks whilst nervously stroking his hands through the length of his daughter's hair from time to time. In entering the house, he was welcomed again by the same cool expression he had engraved in his mind with during his days away, from their last encounter. He had been disappointed, for some reason at seeing her smile to her daughter melting away at his sight. What did he expect? He suddenly felt very self-conscious though, he did take care with his looks that day where he was going to see his wife for the first time in a very long time. The paleness in her face though had definitely alarmed him. He had a strange sort of a panic attack in his nervous system that he had not felt before._

_The baby, he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss every spot of her exposed, and the unexposed flesh. He felt like the luckiest man in the world, until he saw her scornful face. So he did what he knew how to do best. He mocked her at teased her to her end. Well, the irony in that of course was that he really had pushed her off the end. Nearly killing the love of his life._

The reminder of when he had felt the unjustifiable feeling of panic confirmed his belief. This time, he would not tease or mock her about it.

Rhett placed Scarlett on to her feat at the top of the staircase, still holding her close. He stood in between the stairs and Scarlett, to appease his constant nagging nervousness.

"Scarlett, there is something wrong with you and I want to know what"

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Ok, PLEASE READ THIS A/N, IT"S REALLY CRUCIAL FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER.

I haven't written the next chapter yet, but I will do so as soon as I get some ideas accumulated by your reviews. I can smell a writer's block from around the corner- and I need your help to update by tomorrow! Also, I am going in to hospital (nothing too serious) and won't be out until mid january so the next chapter is going to be my last chapter until then it seems! So, please do show your support through reviewing so I can give you a new chapter as a present of condolensce of not being able to write more for the next couple of weeks.

LUV U ALL SOOO MUCH!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


	16. The Confession

Surprise Surprise! I had a chance to briefly write this chapter, I am so happy that I could! Anyways, I do not have much time so I must skip my sincere thanks to individuals this time, but on the 24/25th, I will PM AND officially thank all those who have reviewed for this and the last chapter. I will still read your reviews though! They really do keep me going! Anyway, although I can't thank all the individuals, that does not stop me from saying a huge THANK YOU to everyone who have read, reviewed,followed, and favourited my story, it really does mean the world to me.

As I said, I will upload by 25th or 26th at the latest and who knows, maybe I'll get a chance to write before! But I am finding it harder and harder to write, (not from my health no worries- it really is nothing serious- although thank you so much to those who said they hoped for my recovery) so please do review.

This chapter is rather rushed from the lack of time I had so advanced apologies, I will edit it should anyone request as soon as I can.

Enough babbling from me- hope you will enjoy this chapter!

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"What… what do you mean?" Scarlett stuttered as she stumbled back away from him. "I really have no idea as to what you are talking…"

Her attempt of appearing confused confirmed Rhett's suspicions. "Then let me repeat my question my dear, there is something wrong with you and you are not going to hide it from me anymore." He felt hurt in that she no longer felt able to confide with him anymore. For whatever reason, she found it necessary to lie straight to his face because she felt she could not trust him anymore. Following the wave of pain came desperation, he was losing her, he could feel it, see it for god's sake by the way she was hiding from him. Despite his logic reminding him that his wife letting him go was what he had wanted for almost three years, he would not, could not watch her slip away.

"Please." Rhett pleaded despite himself, with added emotion in his voice he added, "Please, please…"

"I am unwell"

The three words froze his world.

Scarlett was too overwhelmed with shock by the question imposed by her husband that she did not have the ability to respond properly. All she could see was agony in the face of the love of her life, which was precisely the opposite of the only thing she wished for. Unlike the woman she and everyone else knew herself to be, Scarlett put her own interest aside when she decided her dying wish to be the happiness of Rhett, she even tried to let him go, although she could practically hear the sound of her heart tearing in to tatters when she did so. She loved him beyond her capacity, beyond what her arrogant character was able to love. But despite all her efforts, the man before her now looked broken, battered, bewildered. Great balls of fire he was pleading with her.

She could not handle it anymore, neither the pain on her part nor the irritating ignorance on Rhett's. So she revealed her secret, well, part of it at least, to appease her husband and herself.

Rhett was shocked. He felt as though his knees were made of rubber as he struggled to compose himself. His strong spirited Scarlett was ill. He felt overwhelmingly guilty in not recognizing his unconscious mind that kept telling him to look closer; he felt something was not right, yet he did pay enough attention to find out.

A thick silence ran past, Rhett's eyes fixed on Scarlett's, which was looking away from him.

"In sickness and in health" he whispered inaudibly. That was what he promised. He also promised wordlessly to keep his words to her. What kind of a man was he? He thought as his mind carried him to the very day they were wed.

_It was a dazzling sunny day. He had been immaculately dressed for the first day of the best days of his life. He felt nervous, very much so, not because he doubted the marriage, but because he still could not believe that after all of the years, she was going to be his wife. _**'**_**Wife,'**__he kept repeating the word over and over again in his mind, never in all of his 39 years of life did he imagine himself to have someone to address as such, the idea used to repulse him as a title of bounding restriction. But now he was repeating the very title to believe that the happiness that coursed in his blood was not an illusion. His sardonic self was replaced by a rather uncharacteristically emotional one. But… what if she changes her mind, what if she? _

_Such thought was abandoned as he saw the grand doors of the church fling open. There she stood dressed in all her beauty and grandeur her white dress glowing majestically from the lights from the stained glass window, through the thin veil, she looked angelic, her bejeweled eyes set on him. In that moment he forgot about Ashley Wilkes who actually looked jealous of him, on that day at least, she was his. _

_I, Rhett Butler take you, Scarlett O'Hara, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part._

_"You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. Amen."_

Rhett remembered their kiss, her rosy blush, and his oath.

The oath he had crushed on many occasions, but never more than now.

Of course, his panicked state was not out of love for he surely did not have any left, to be honest, he did not know why he felt so guilty and frantic all at once. But one thing he was sure of was that his reasons to know her situation was the least of his problem, He still felt she was hiding something from him, only this time he would get to the bottom of it…

* * *

Not much time so have to rush. All I want to say is THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. and

REVIEW AND FAVORITE AND FOLLOW PLEEEEAAASE!

Till next time  
Hermiaxx


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